Uncle of Table Rock victim remembers 'good kid'; says he was shot

Sep. 30, 2013

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An uncle of the man found dead in Table Rock Lake Sunday described him as quiet and probably caught up with the wrong crowd of people.

Police say the death is a homicide.

“Danny was a really good kid and he didn’t need to have this happen to him,” said Bill Hearn, who lives in Washington State.

Hearn said he last saw Daniel J. Martin Jr., 28, of Lampe, at a family reunion about a year ago. At approximately 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Stone County Sheriff’s Office, deputies dispatched to the end of Jones Trading Post Road found Martin’s body floating.

Hearn said authorities told his sister, Martin’s mother, that the death came from gunfire. Hearn said he was concerned about who Martin was associating with.

A news release from the sheriff’s office says two “people of interest” are being questioned as a result of the ongoing investigation. They were not named.

Martin’s mother declined to comment. His Facebook page indicates that he was a groundskeeper at Big Cedar Wilderness Lodge in Ridgedale, and that he was a graduate of Blue Eye High School.

On Monday, friends were expressing condolences on Martin’s Facebook page.

“He was one of the sweetest people I've met down in Lampe,” one wrote.

“He's always been like a big brother to me,” another said. “I'm at (a) loss for words right now.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is assisting the sheriff’s office in the investigation.